Christ the King

About Christ the King Parish

Christ the King Church is a small Roman Catholic parish of about 75 families serving Tazewell and Claiborne County in the Appalachian foothills of northeastern Tennessee. Founded in 1984 and now part of a three-parish cluster with Our Lady of Perpetual Help (LaFollette) and St. Jude (Helenwood), the parish maintains a tight, mission-minded Catholic community rooted in the Eucharist and devoted to reaching the sick, the poor, and the lonely of every faith background.

History and Founding

Established in 1984 by the Diocese of Knoxville, Christ the King began as a mission outreach to Catholics in Claiborne County. For many years the faithful gathered for the sacraments in college classrooms, private homes, and public buildings before finally settling at 816 Blue Top Road, the address the parish still uses today. The parish's mission statement preserves this humble origin story and frames the community's gratitude for having 'found our home at last.'

• Established 1984 by the Diocese of Knoxville
• Originally celebrated Mass in classrooms, private homes, and public buildings
• Settled at 816 Blue Top Road, Tazewell, TN 37879
• Long clustered with Our Lady of Perpetual Help (LaFollette) and St. Jude (Helenwood)

Pastoral Leadership

The parish has been led by a series of priests who also serve neighboring parishes in this rural stretch of the Diocese of Knoxville. Father Joe Campbell, the longtime pastor of the LaFollette/Tazewell cluster, became a local legend for his annual Boat Mass on Norris Lake. Father Adam Kane briefly served as temporary parochial administrator in 2020, and on October 1, 2020 Father Sam Sturm became pastor of the cluster — installed formally at OLPH on February 13, 2022 and at Christ the King on March 6, 2022 by Bishop Richard F. Stika.

• Father Joe Campbell — long-serving pastor, famed for the Norris Lake Boat Mass (22+ consecutive years without rain-out)
• Father Adam Kane — temporary parochial administrator, until Oct. 1, 2020
• Father Sam Sturm — pastor since Oct. 1, 2020; installed March 6, 2022
• Deacon Chad Shields — current parish deacon

Mission and Identity

The parish's own mission statement is unusually explicit about its self-understanding: a Eucharistic community led by the Holy Spirit, bound in unity with the priest, bishop, and Holy Father, walking in the footsteps of Jesus and 'taking up our crosses daily.' The community stresses that religious education is essential for adults as well as children, and commits itself to embracing 'the sick, the poor, and the lonely — those of our faith, those of other faiths, and those of only hope.'

• Eucharist as the center of worship and spiritual life
• Prayer, study, and reflection on Scripture
• Outreach to the sick, the poor, and the lonely
• Religious education for children and adults
• Ecumenical welcome to all

Parish Staff

Day-to-day parish life is led by the pastor, Father Sam Sturm, supported by Deacon Chad Shields and a small team of lay volunteers and altar servers (including James Barker, identified by name on the parish website). Parish office business is handled through the shared cluster office, with the office email [email protected] used for general inquiries and the emergency line (423) 562-0312 available around the clock.

• Father Sam Sturm — Pastor ([email protected])
• Deacon Chad Shields — Deacon ([email protected])
• James Barker — Altar Server
• Parish Office — [email protected]

Office and Contact

The parish operates out of 816 Blue Top Road with a shared cluster office. In-person office hours are limited — closed Mondays, with morning hours Tuesday and Thursday and mid-day hours Wednesday and Friday. For emergencies the parish phone (423-562-0312) is staffed at all times.

• Address — 816 Blue Top Road, P.O. Box 404, Tazewell, TN 37879
• Phone — (423) 562-0312
• Office Hours — Tue/Thu 9:00 AM–noon; Wed/Fri 10:00 AM–2:00 PM; closed Monday
• Emergency line — (423) 562-0312

Liturgical Music and Ministries

Shortly after his arrival in 2020, Father Sturm introduced liturgical music at Christ the King at the explicit request of parishioners, drawing on his prior background as a musician. The parish also maintains an active altar server program and a strong commitment to ongoing religious education for both children and adults, as well as outreach to those in need in the wider Claiborne County community.

• Liturgical music (introduced under Father Sturm)
• Altar servers
• Religious education for children and adults
• Outreach to the sick, the poor, and the lonely